Wearable face mask

ABSTRACT

A wearable mask having a contoured body adapted for mounting over a wearer&#39;s face, the body including a bulbous shaped projection extending forwardly of the wearer&#39;s nose and lips. The projection includes a substantially flattened bottom interior for collecting/absorbing fluidic emissions of the wearer not limited to mucous and spittle. A foam lining a perimeter of the contoured body is adapted to contact the user&#39;s face and to provide a seal around an interior of the body. A strap is connected at opposite ends to first and second attachment locations projecting from the body.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the priority of U.S. Ser. No. 63/246,874 filed Sep. 22, 2021.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to face mask designs. More particularly, the present invention discloses an improved sanitary wearable face mask, such as specifically targeted to food safety and other personnel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art is documented with various types of wearable masks. In many instances, these are provided in order to provide protection to the user in regards to germs or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a sanitary mask design, such as for use by food service and other personnel and for the purpose of protecting against inadvertent emission of spittle or the like, such as in the course of food preparation/service and like applications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an environmental perspective of the sanitary mask worn by an individual;

FIG. 2 is a rotated side view of FIG. 1 and further illustrating the forward projecting pocket configured within the mask for spacing forwardly of the user's lips and nose; and

FIG. 3 is a front perspective of the mask and better depicting the pattern of apertures for providing enhanced ventilation around the edges of the forwardly configured mask structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the attached illustrations, the present invention discloses a sanitary mask design, see generally at 10, such as for use by food service and other personnel and for the purpose of protecting against inadvertent emission of spittle or the like, such as in the course of food preparation/service and like applications.

FIG. 1 is an environmental perspective of the sanitary mask 10 worn by an individual 2, with FIG. 2 providing a rotated side view of FIG. 1 and further illustrating a forward projecting contoured or pocket shaped body 12 configured within the mask 10 for spacing forwardly of the user's lips (at 4) and nose (at 6). The pocket shaped body 12 can be constructed of any suitable material not limited to any type of natural or synthetic mesh material and which is semi-structurally supporting. This can also, without limitation, include combining a softer more flexible mesh material with a wire or other interior frame for providing the necessary support structure (not shown) and in order to maintain its shape as shown in FIG. 2 .

As further best shown in the side view of FIG. 2 , the forwardly extending pocket exhibits a projecting bulbous shape which provides adequate interior room for collecting any wearer emissions (e.g. mucus, spittle or the like) and is particularly useful for sanitary applications. A plurality of apertures are configured within the upper and outer locations of the mask and are shown by inner perimeter extending closed edges shown at 14, 16, 18 and 20, these providing the combined feature of easy ventilation to the wearer, while preventing spillage or escaping of the wearer's fluids (e.g. again mucus, spittle, etc.,).

An outer perimeter of the pocket shaped body 12 is lined with a foam or similar rubberized material 22 which grips the wearers facial profile including over the lips 4 and nose, with the outer sides of the body covering the wearer's cheeks and the bottom contacting a location between the lower lip 4 and the wearer's chin (at 8). The foam rim lines a perimeter of the contoured body 12, and which is adapted to contact the user's face and to provide a seal around an interior of said body to hold in the contents.

Other features include the providing of an adjustable strap 24 which is connected at opposite ends to first 26 and second 28 attachment locations projecting from the rim of the main body (typically upper side locations as best shown in FIG. 3 ). The attachment locations 26/28 each further include a dual slot shape aperture pattern through which is weaved the end locations of the strap 24 in order to provide adjustability.

As shown in FIGS. 1-2 , the strap 24 extends around the user's head above the ears (see at 9) in order to hold the mask body 12 in place. The body 12 as further shown includes a generally flattened bottom location (see at 30) located forward of the wearers lips for providing a collection area of wearer fluidic emissions consistent with the sanitary aspects of the mask device.

Having described my invention, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims. The detailed description and drawings are further understood to be supportive of the disclosure, the scope of which being defined by the claims. While some of the best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the claimed teachings have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments exist for practicing the disclosure defined in the appended claims.

The foregoing disclosure is further understood as not intended to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. As such, it is contemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modifications to the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or implied herein, are possible in light of the disclosure. Having thus described embodiments of the present disclosure, a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is limited only by the claims.

In the foregoing specification, the disclosure has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, as one skilled in the art will appreciate, various embodiments disclosed herein can be modified or otherwise implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, this description is to be considered as illustrative and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the manner of making and using various embodiments of the disclosure. It is to be understood that the forms of disclosure herein shown and described are to be taken as representative embodiments. Equivalent elements, materials, processes or steps may be substituted for those representatively illustrated and described herein. Moreover, certain features of the disclosure may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the disclosure. Expressions such as “including”, “comprising”, “incorporating”, “consisting of”, “have”, “is” used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural.

Further, various embodiments disclosed herein are to be taken in the illustrative and explanatory sense, and should in no way be construed as limiting of the present disclosure. All joinder references (e.g., attached, affixed, coupled, connected, and the like) are only used to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and may not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the systems and/or methods disclosed herein. Therefore, joinder references, if any, are to be construed broadly. Moreover, such joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected to each other.

Additionally, all numerical terms, such as, but not limited to, “first”, “second”, “third”, “primary”, “secondary”, “main” or any other ordinary and/or numerical terms, should also be taken only as identifiers, to assist the reader's understanding of the various elements, embodiments, variations and/or modifications of the present disclosure, and may not create any limitations, particularly as to the order, or preference, of any element, embodiment, variation and/or modification relative to, or over, another element, embodiment, variation and/or modification.

It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. Additionally, any signal hatches in the drawings/figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically specified. 

1. A wearable mask, comprising: a contoured body adapted for mounting over a wearer's face, said body including a bulbous shaped projection extending forwardly of the wearer's nose and lips, said projection including a substantially flattened bottom interior for collecting or absorbing fluidic emissions of the wearer not limited to mucous and spittle; a foam lining a perimeter of said contoured body which is adapted to contact the user's face and to provide a seal around an interior of said body; and a strap connected at opposite ends to first and second attachment locations projecting from said body.
 2. The mask of claim 1, further comprising said body being constructed of any suitable material not limited to any type of natural or synthetic mesh material and which is semi-structurally supporting.
 3. The mask of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of apertures configured within upper and outer locations of said body for providing the combined feature of easy ventilation to the wearer, while preventing spillage or escaping of the wearer's fluids. 